Hoy has "no confidence" in UCI top-brass

Kilo Olympic gold medallist Chris Hoy has criticised the UCI's decision to drop two track events from the Beijing Olympics. He said the UCI "supported road at track's expense." PLUS: In a recent letter to cyclingnews.com, an Australian cycle sport fan said new UCI president Pat McQuaid would do himself and the image of the UCI a power of good if he reinstated the kilo and the women's 500m sprint.

In The Herald newspaper Hoy said: "Simon Clegg, chief executive of the British Olympic Association, told me there's nothing more they can do. The BOA put substantial pressure on the the International Olympic Committee, but the IOC told the UCI it was up to them.

"It has caused me to lose confidence in the people who run cycling, and I don't believe it's in the best interests of the sport. It was down to what individuals wanted, and they have supported road at track's expense, even though road stands alone outside the Olympics. I have no complaint about BMX [which the kilo has made way for], but all the kilo competitors are already at the Olympics. So are the officials. It's only saved the cost of three medals.

"Initially it was a body-blow. I was almost in denial, thinking this could not happen, but as time went on I realised there was no point sitting moaning about it. I had to move on."

However, others are not prepared to see an event that's been in the modern Olympics since the start be killed by the UCI.

In a letter to cyclingnews.com, Tony Unicomb of Australia said new UCI president Pat McQuaid "needs to engage in a bit of PR to firm up his popularity with the cycling public and convince us he isn't one of those faceless UCI cronies that come up with one stupid decision after another."

Number one on Unicomb's list of good karma ideas was for McQuaid to reinstate the kilo and the women's 500m sprint:

"Put your name all over the decision and watch your popularity escalate, particularly in the English speaking world - where the potential for the economic and popular growth of cycling as an international sport is greatest. I don't think you'll get too many opposing you in China either, seeing as the women's 500 is the only event they are going to get within a bull's roar of a medal in."